Green Beer Day's origins are about as clouded as your brain after too many green-dyed draft beers. Many have speculated that this tradition was begun at Miami shortly after World War II. A Miami Student article, dated march 8, 1946, discusses the grain crisis that gripped the country and resulted in a shortage of grain for use in beer production. The article states nothing of a green beer celebration. It does however point out that Mac and Joe's did not have beer to sell...at that time it was not yet a bar. So, we are left to ponder again the origin of this day of green-tinged revelry.Since at least 1952, green-dyed draft beer has been a tradition around St. Patrick's Day in Oxford. We know because another Miami Student article dated March 14, 1952 says that the day was celebrated by Oxford restaurants selling "traditional dark green beer" on March 17. This is the first known source to state its celebration, but this still does not pinpoint the origin of its specific celebration by Miami students. March 14 was a Friday and March 17 was a Monday. The Thursday before Spring Break is the key to its mystery. While most of the country is drinking a dark pint of Guiness or a Harp with a few drops of food coloring on March 17, Miami students are usually cooking under the Sun's UV rays, engaging in hooking-up, and generally enjoying the popular Spring Break destinations.
Green Beer Day is perhaps one of the most hated and revered unofficial holidays in higher education today. It is celebrated on the Thursday before St. Patrick's Day (March 17) every year. Nearly every bar in Oxford opens its doors at 5:30am (the earliest time alcohol sales are allowed in Ohio) and green beer and green Jell-O shots begin their transition from tap and cup to an eager students' belly. Students wear shirts made up to commemorate the event and it
has a Mardi Gras-like atmosphere complete with beads.Most people theorize that this is done because Miami University nearly always places the Spring Break holiday during the real St. Patrick's Day. Students who were upset at never being able to enjoy a St. Patty's Day at school moved its celebration back a few days thinking the University was planning to prevent a day of drinking. Indeed, the University dislikes Green Beer Day immensely, taking out full page
advertisements in the Miami Student and High Street Journal in recent years stating their position that Green Beer Day "promotes damaging, dangerous, and irresponsible alcohol consumption" and "interferes with the educational objectives of the University." However, the more Miami University discourages Green Beer Day, the stronger students are to maintaining it as a tradition.
The article also says that typically on this day there are less arrests and medical transports than an average friday and saturday night. From what I was hearing that day, I think I might have to disagree. It seems to me that sirens were going by quite frequently. Apparently that's just me.
The Cincinnati Enquirer says...
OXFORD - A Miami University student was critically injured Thursday when his car collided with a train, which pushed the car nearly 500 feet.
David D. Brown, 20, of Wilmington, was driving west on Chestnut Avenue about 5:09 a.m. when he tried to drive over railroad tracks, said Oxford police Sgt. Jim Squance. A northbound CSX freight train headed to Indianapolis couldn't stop in time, he said.
The train slammed into the driver's side front door, pushing the car 454 feet to the Main Street crossing, where the vehicle came to a stop after hitting a nearby parked car, he said.
There were no safety gates at the crossing but there were working flashing lights at the time of the crash, Squance said.Brown was flown by helicopter to University Hospital, where he was in critical condition.
Oxford police expect test results back today to determine if Brown was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, but officials said the incident was not connected to Green Beer Day festivities. The annual day-long drinking fest that unofficially kicks off Miami's spring
break, began at 5:30 a.m.Miami University officials discourage Green Beer Day, saying it promotes binge drinking.
Sigh. Why can college kids be so dumb sometimes. This seriously has to be one of the dumbest things people can do. I just don't understand sometimes. Let's hope David Brown will be ok.
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